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DIGITAL FIRST SPOTLIGHT: Batman: Arkham Unhinged

DIGITAL FIRST SPOTLIGHT: Batman: Arkham Unhinged

Did you know that you no longer have to wait till Wednesday to read a brand new DC comic? From the early adventures of a still-developing Superman to epic-scale action set far in our future to vastly imaginative Batman tales spun by some of the best creators in comics, you can find the action you crave starring the characters you love Monday through Friday, and you don’t even need to leave your living room to do it. (Also, be sure to read to the end of the article to find out how you can win a free download of each day’s title!)

We’re looking at DC’s Digital First titles this week, and today we shine our spotlight on the one that started it all for us, BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED. Set in the world of the uber-popular video games BATMAN: ARKHAM ASYLUM and BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY, brand new installments of this fan-favorite comic can be downloaded every Tuesday.

Here’s series editor Jim Chadwick on how Batman: Arkham Unhinged came to be:

“Batman: Arkham Unhinged is an original digital comic series set very specifically in the world of the Batman: Arkham City videogame.

Leading up to the release of the game in 2011, we launched two different Arkham City mini-series, one print and one digital. The print story—written by Paul Dini and drawn by Carlos D’anda—was a direct lead-in to the actual game story, spinning out of events from the original Arkham Asylum. Concurrent with the print comic, we produced a series of digital comics, each of which was a self-contained story focusing on one of the villains featured in the game. Derek Fridolfs came on to co-write most of those with Dini, while each chapter was drawn by a different artist.

As it turns out, these digital shorts also represented our first venture into original digital comics. It was such a success that we decided to start a new series in conjunction with the actual release of the Arkham City videogame last October. Wanting a title that tied into the game while potentially having a life of its own, we eventually settled on Batman: Arkham Unhinged. The format has allowed for a lot of flexibility. Generally, our stories have run in three weekly chapters, or one 30-page arc. Some of the stories may spin directly out of events in the game itself. In other cases, we’ve flashed back to events prior to either game, allowing us to expand a bit on the background of the characters as they may have existed pre-Arkham City.

Derek Fridolfs came on board as our main series writer and we’ve been fortunate to pair him up with a number of excellent artists: Simon Coleby, Darick Robertson, Pete Woods, Mike Miller, and Juan Ryp to name just a few. Some of the stories feature Batman prominently, others the villains, and still others the supporting characters. For out current arc (drawn by Federico Dallochio) we shine a spotlight on the Bruce Wayne/Talia relationship. Talia, of course, has a significant role in the game. In our next arc—going live starting September 4—we’re putting Nightwing and Robin in the forefront, as they have to defend Wayne Manor from an invasion by Hugo Strange’s Tyger Guards.

With the first anniversary of the series almost upon us, we have some big changes coming up. Announcements will be forthcoming, but for now let’s just say that Batman: Arkham Unhinged is must reading whether you are a fan of the game or just a Batman fan.”

BATMAN: ARKHAM UNHINGED #38 is out today, and it marks the start of a new arc. So if you’ve never read Arkham Unhinged before, it’s a great day to start!

Even better, if you act now, you have a chance to download an issue on us. For today only we will be giving away 50 promotional codes on Twitter that will allow you to download the first chapter of Batman: Arkham Unhinged for free.

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1) If you're not already doing so, be sure to follow @DCComics on Twitter.

That's all there is to it! At 5pm PST today, 50 tweeters will be chosen at random and direct messaged a redemption code for a free copy of Batman: Arkham Unhinged #1 that can be entered at http://www.readdcentertainment.com/redeem. (You’ll need a Comixology account to download your free copy.) Good luck getting into Arkham!